


Soothed

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 02:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16546838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Nightmares are a way of life now.





	Soothed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ktime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ktime/gifts).



> A/N: Fill for ktime247’s “27 [Sleep] Kili/Ori (Kili can't sleep after the battle)” request on [my tumblr prompt list](http://yeaka.tumblr.com/post/179060905990/prompt-list).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Hobbit or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

He’s halfway into dreams, still vaguely aware of the real world—the darkness of his bedroom and the soft weight of his mattress—but his eyes are closed, and he feels like there are orcs after him. There are _always_ orcs after him. He used to try and avoid sleep all together, to stay up in the library or bent over the desk in his study, feverishly reading scrolls in an attempt to keep his mind awake. But then the dreams were worse when he finally did succumb, and he knows he can’t be awake forever. So he just puts up with it.

When the door of his bedroom opens, it jolts him fully awake, but it brings with it a new terror—Ori opens his mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. He sits up in bed, staring at the sliver of light that’s widening, sure it’s orcs or wargs or goblins come to eat him. Ever since the journey, he can’t help but be jumpy.

Then a small figure slips inside, and Ori lets out a thick sigh of relief—it’s only another dwarf. Kíli shuts the door, shutting out all the light, but Ori already saw his face and can hear the footsteps coming closer. He lifts up his blanket in preparation, and then the mattress is tilting down, and he knows that Kíli’s climbing up onto it. Another leg nudges at his, a cold foot passing over his ankle. He lets himself lie down ago whilst his heart hammers against his chest. 

“Sorry to wake you,” Kíli mumbles, voice tired but decipherable. Ori grunts acknowledgement. He wasn’t fully asleep anyway, and he rarely minds being woken up. Kíli’s arm reaches over him, Kíli’s body shuffling closer, off the spare pillow and onto the same one as Ori. Kíli’s wavy hair is already tickling his forehead. Then Kíli gets close enough that Ori can taste his breath—the two of them fully snuggled up together beneath the sheets. 

The extra warmth is nice and toasty. The familiar presence is a soothing touch. Ori likes to know he’s not alone, but he still knows this isn’t okay. He’s never been as rebellious as Kíli, and he feels the need to mutter, “You really shouldn’t be doing this...” Kíli just snorts. “I mean it... you’re a prince, you’re supposed to be...”

“Braver?” Kíli asks, halfway between sad and defensive. That’s not what Ori meant.

“No. Like... waiting for a good marriage prospect...”

“We’re not doing anything,” Kíli insists, even as his leg draws along Ori’s, his hand slipping beneath the hem of Ori’s nightshirt, brushing tantalizingly along his bare skin. They’ve definitely been _more_ , and they probably would tonight, if it weren’t already so late and Ori weren’t so tired. Kíli sighs, “I just can’t sleep, Ori... the battle...” He doesn’t finish, but he doesn’t have to.

The journey was hard. But that last battle obliterated everything, and Ori’s still got the scars. They’ve all still got the nightmares. Ori understands. He mumbles brokenly, “Okay.”

“Good... I didn’t want to have to order you to take care of your prince.” 

Ori finds himself smiling at that remark. He almost laughs, but it comes out as a yawn instead. He thinks Kíli’s smiling too, even if it’s too dark to see it.

He risks leaning in just enough to brush a kiss over Kíli’s lips. Then he settles back, content and sort of flattered. He’s hardly the strongest warrior they have, not the biggest or the bravest, and he never would’ve thought he’d be the one protecting Kíli in any capacity. But that’s how it’s happened: the two of them cuddled up together in the home they fought so hard for. 

Kíli whispers, “Good night, love,” and Ori repeats it back. He tries again for dreams and finds them a little better this time.


End file.
